South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Employment Specialist

The closing date is 01 September 2025

Job summary

To provide employability, career coaching and job retention support to clients accessing therapy for common mental health problems with Talking Therapies Southwark. To provide tailored support to a caseload of clients utilising the service's range of coaching tools and interventions, to assist the client to meet their employment-related goals. To participate effectively as a team member, to adhere to service policies and procedures and to be passionate about helping people achieve their employment goals.

Main duties of the job

To provide an effective career coaching service for people with mental health conditions

To support people with mental health conditions to obtain and sustain paid employment.

To develop partnerships with local employers and providers and services to ensure that the employment support needs of clients are met.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.

Date posted

18 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£37,259 to £45,356 a year Per Annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-NCL-7357431-TA

Job locations

Maudsley Hospital

London

SE5 8AZ

Job description

Job responsibilities

Helping clients to identify and consider options for returning to work and set their own personal career goals.

Using coaching techniques to help clients overcome practical and psychological barriers to employment.

Supporting clients to undertake training, volunteering, and paid employment opportunities, and supporting employers where necessary.

Identifying a range of support needs (e.g. housing, benefits, health, etc) and signposting clients to access support from internal and external agencies.

Teaching employability skills to clients on a one-to-one basis and in group workshops (e.g. CVs, interview skills, etc).

Communicating with clients and clinicians (e.g. therapists) regularly face-to-face or by email, text, Skype/Facetime or telephone.

Writing clear and concise session notes, entering data onto a range of databases, and obtaining written evidence of outcomes (e.g. job starts).

Keeping up to date with local and national labour market trends, education/training opportunities, welfare benefit changes, and employment law in relation to people with mental health conditions.

Promoting the service to a range of referral agencies (e.g. Jobcentre Plus, GP practices, training providers, community organisations) as well as clinical services (e.g. talking therapies)

Working independently to manage own workload and keep track of own progress towards targets, continually reflecting on own performance to improve and develop in the role.

Working as part of a team, sharing knowledge and expertise, and contributing to team meetings and service development activities.

Following service policies, procedures, and manuals to ensure that quality standards are met.